~ Psychological Empowerment Center

Eleven Fingers Typing

Computer is close to people nowadays. There are many people that have a computer and can operate the computer. They’re children, teenagers, and adults. However, there are many people who are ‘good’ in computer using eleven fingers in typing. Hey, wait! Using eleven fingers doesn’t mean that they have eleven fingers or handicaps. Well, it’s just a joke term. “Eleven fingers” means using the left and right forefingers. Generally people learn to operate the computer; how to turn on/off the computer, use the mouse, run the program, install the software, etc, but they forget to learn how to type correctly and effectively.

I was lucky because before I knew computer, I learned to operate a type writer. It happened when I was in junior high school. At that time, around 1994-1997, computer was very expensive and exclusive thing, especially in my town, Pontianak. Only some favorite schools have computer lab. I was taught using ten fingers to type on the type writer. Besides learning how to type using ten fingers, we also learned how to type blindly. We closed the letters with black plasters. So we had to remember where the letters are. Then our eyes looked at the screen or draft only. We shouldn’t look at the keyboard.

Have you ever tried to type using the type writer? I guess some of you’ve never used it, because you use modern computer directly. As we know, keyboard on type writer is harder than the keyboard on the computer, and sometimes our little fingers slip between the knobs. If you are the right- handed person, to press hard button (keyboard) with the little finger of your left hand is not easy. It’s happened to me when the teacher asked us to type A using the little finger as much as possible as we could in specific time. Our teacher held the stop watch on her hand.

What are the benefits of using ten fingers in typing?

The benefits are: first, ten fingers typing (and without looking at the keyboard) can optimize our work; second, the fingers will not be tired easily, even if you type fast for long span of time, and the last but not least, you can type fast and correctly. It means the coordination between eyes and fingers has become good already. Using ten fingers makes us more sensitive to recognize the letters. It’ll work automatically.

There are colors on the left hand: red, dark purple, orange, blue, and white. The colors on the right hand: white, yellow, green, pink, and soft purple. And, there are colors on the keyboard.

Let me tell you step by step to learn how to be a good typist.

Please prepare your hands and QWERTY keyboard.

Move your left hand, press Z using your little finger, X using your ring finger, C using the middle finger, V and B using the fore finger. And then, move your right hand. Press “?” using your little finger, “>” using the ring finger, “<“ using the middle finger, M and N using the fore finger.

Move your left hand, press A using your little finger, S using your ring finger, D using the middle finger, F and G using the fore finger. And then, move your right hand. Press “ : “ (colon) using your little finger, J using the ring finger, K using the middle finger, J and H using the fore finger.

Move your left hand, press Q using your little finger, W using your ring finger, E using the middle finger, R and T using the fore finger. And then, move your right hand. Press P using your little finger, O using the ring finger, I using the middle finger, U and Y using the fore finger.

Some keyboards on the left (1, “!”, Tab, Cap Lock, Shift, Ctrl) and the right side (Backspace, slash , Enter, Shift) should be typed using the little fingers.

How about the thumbs?

The thumbs were used to press SPACE. If you want to know how it works, please type slowly the words “YOU ARE”. Which thumb should you use?

You should press SPACE with the left thumb because the last letter “U” was typed with the right hand. Then, please type “SHE IS”. You’ll press SPACE with the right thumb because the last letter “E” was typed with your left hand.

Well, it’s not easy to be a good typist. We need to practice using ten fingers correctly. This is an art of typing. There’re a lot of people who don’t know about this typing art. If you try to use this art, you will know how to type correctly and effectively. Be good in typing, and you’ll love it.